NAND flash memory is widely used in communications, commercial servers, and cloud storage devices with a series of advantages such as high density, low cost, high speed, anti-magnetic, and anti-vibration. However, the reliability is increasingly getting worse while process improvements and technological advancements have brought higher storage densities to NAND flash memory. The degradation of reliability not only reduces the lifetime of the NAND flash memory but also causes the devices to be replaced prematurely based on the nominal value far below the minimum actual value, resulting in a great waste of lifetime. Using machine learning algorithms to accurately predict endurance levels can optimize wear-leveling strategies and warn bad memory blocks, which is of great significance for effectively extending the lifetime of NAND flash memory devices and avoiding serious losses caused by sudden failures. In this work, a multi-class endurance prediction scheme based on the SVM algorithm is proposed, which can predict the remaining P-E cycle level and the raw bit error level after various P-E cycles. Feature analysis based on endurance data is used to determine the basic elements of the model. Based on the error features, we present a variety of targeted optimization strategies, such as extracting the numerical features closely related to the endurance, and reducing the noise interference of transient faults through short-term repeated operations. Besides a high-parallel flash test platform supporting multiple protocols, a feature preprocessing module is constructed based on the ZYNQ-7030 chip. The pipelined module of SVM decision model can complete a single prediction within 37 us.
Keywords: NAND flash memory; endurance; raw bit error; support vector machine; test platform.